How to Make a Solution HL7 and HIPAA Compliant

Ensuring compliance with mandates and meeting regulations like the Health Level Seven (HL7) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is of utmost importance in the healthcare industry. In areas concerning patient information, HL7 offers standards on the exchange and integration of domain-specific data and it is critical to regularly address privacy protection regulations (HIPAA) governing electronic health records. Ensuring compliance with both HL7 and HIPAA standards is essential for maintaining data integrity, safeguarding patient privacy, and ensuring regulatory compliance.

In this blog, we will look at some of the key considerations for making a solution HL7 compliant.
Understanding HL7 and HIPAA
To effectively ensure compliance, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of HL7 and HIPAA. HL7 serves as a widely recognized international messaging standard, facilitating the seamless and accurate exchange of information among various software applications utilized in healthcare institutions globally. HIPPA is a federal law that establishes standards concerning the privacy and security of medical records and other personal health information.
Key Steps to Achieve Compliance

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Assessment
   The first step in making a solution HL7 and HIPAA compliant is to conduct an all-around scrutiny of the existing system. This entails inspecting all the possible channels of compliance for data security vulnerabilities, inadequate means of communication for obtaining information, or standards governing the exchange of data.
2. Implement Robust Data Security Measures
   Both HIPAA and HL7 require data security and features such as strong data encryption, access controls and audit trials are important to protect sensitive patient information. Security mandates the use of encryption protocols to safeguard data from unauthorized access whether it is at rest or in transit.
3. Ensure Interoperability with HL7 Standards
   To ensure seamless interoperability and effective data exchange between healthcare systems, businesses should adhere to HL7 standards when exposing data through their systems. Using HL7 messaging standards and making the solution compatible with HL7 protocols will help it integrate smoothly with other healthcare applications or systems.
4. Write HIPAA-Compliant Policies and Procedures
   To ensure HIPAA compliance, businesses must draw up thorough policies and procedures governing how their personnel handle protected health information (PHI). For instance, establishing access controls and conducting periodical risk assessments are essential components of safeguarding Protected Health Information (PHI).
5. Conduct Regular Training and Education
   Training staff about HL7 and continually complying with the requirements of HIPAA are essential to creating a culture where compliance becomes second nature. Regular training sessions are needed to ensure that staff understand their roles and are well-versed in safeguarding patient information.
6. Leverage a Compliant Technology
   Modern off-the-shelf technologies, tailored for HL7 and HIPAA compliance, simplify both the process of achieving compliance and maintaining it over time. Fortunately, several no-code platforms and integration solutions have been developed with inherent support for compliance with HL7 or HIPAA standards. This significantly alleviates the daily management burden associated with compliance.